Real Gratitude

Exquisite, Clumsy Figurines and Rich’s Kids: Sean, Grandson Ayden, Rebecca, Ryan, 2005 Worst Blog Post Ever! Not long ago I wrote a post about how I sometimes forget to give thanks for the “small” blessings. You can read it here. It’s problematic because I only discuss my gratitude for good stuff. Decorating for Christmas this […]


Wired for Worship

Rainbow, Anza Borrego Desert, California, October 2010 It’s the Creator I feel respectful in the desert. It’s vast, and calm, and if I look carefully, I see a tremendous, subtle variety in color and form. Almost always it’s really cold or wiltingly hot. Surprising weather can develop at any moment. Motu Tautau, Tahaa, French Polynesia, […]


Guiding Light

Uncle Roy, Aunt Nancy, Mom: August, 2006  Taproot TreasureYesterday I visited Legoland with my daughter, son-in-law, their sons, and my co-grandparents. Newborn Sawyer slept through the visit; four-year-old Cadence delighted in the park, the rides, and the Lego statues. As I returned to Orange County that evening, I was reflecting on the pleasure of […]


Risk, Fear, and Peace

The Pacific Ocean Shaking It Up I’ve been struck lately by passages in the bible that describe people’s fear of Christ’s power. Mark 5 provides one example: 15 A crowd soon gathered around Jesus, and they saw the man who had been possessed by the legion of demons. He was sitting there fully clothed and perfectly […]


Grudging Grace

Jockeying Faith isn’t Bowling In bowling one can score a perfect game of 12 strikes. Faith is different: none of us is perfect in our walk with Christ. Especially me. A week or so ago I was driving home from work. Two lanes over, a woman in a sedan was caught behind a red light while attempting […]